01 June 2007 - The Queen awards Northern Ireland's community volunteers

The Award, which was announced by The Queen on 30 April 2002 as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, aims to recognise outstanding achievement by groups of two or more people who volunteer their own time to enhance and improve the quality of life and opportunity for individuals or other groups in the community.

The successful groups for this year’s Awards were announced today. The three successful Northern Ireland groups are

Greater Shankill Alternatives Community Support Volunteers, Belfast

Riding for the Disabled Association, Omagh

Derry City Red Cross - Meals on Wheels, Londonderry

Speaking about the awards, the First Minister, the Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, said: “I congratulate all of the groups that were nominated for an award, and I appreciate the selfless time and effort given by the many hundreds of volunteers working in their communities throughout Northern Ireland.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Award was Announced in April 2002 and was originally titled, “The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award”. It is given in recognition of outstanding achievement by groups of two or more people in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man who volunteer their own time to enhance and improve the quality of life and opportunity for individuals or other groups in the community.

2. A successful group will be able to demonstrate that it:

• has evolved locally and is locally run;
• has a proven track record of active involvement in the community, normally over a period of three years or more, for the social, economic or environmental well being of local individuals or groups;
• is well designed to meet a particular need;
• has added significant value by directly providing community-focused voluntary activities of a very high quality; and
• has generated a high level of goodwill and respect amongst those it serves and the community as a whole.

3. The fourth round of the Award is being launched simultaneously with the announcement of this year’s Award winners on 2 June 2006. Further details of the Award and nomination forms can be obtained by:

• Visiting the Award website on www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk
• Emailing gjaward@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
• Phoning The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Office’s information line on 0845 000 2002.

4. Anyone wishing to encourage nominations of local groups can obtain information packs by ringing 0845 000 2002.

The Queen's award for voluntary service 2007 awards

successful Northern Ireland groups